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Jim Knowles, Ohio State football add LB Payton Pierce to 2024 recruiting class

colin gay, the columbus dispatch
·2 min read
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Ohio State's Jim Knowles is entering his second season leading the Buckeyes defense.

Jim Knowles and Ohio State football have added a linebacker to the 2024 class.

Four-star linebacker Payton Pierce out of Lucas, Texas announced Tuesday his commitment to the Buckeyes, joining linebacker/safety Garrett Stover as the second defensive player in Ohio State's 2024 class.

Pierce is Ohio State's first out-of-state linebacker commit since the 2020 class.

Pierce chose the Buckeyes over Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Notre Dame, where he connected with graduate assistant James Laurinaitis, who is now a graduate assistant and assistant linebackers coach at Ohio State.

Pierce is the No. 151 player and No. 15 linebacker in the 2024 class per 247Sports' composite rankings, coming in as the No. 27 prospect out of Texas.

According to Dave Campbell's Texas Football, Pierce recorded 131 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss, six sacks and five forced fumbles as a junior for Lovejoy High School, which is about 30 miles northeast of Dallas.

Pierce is scheduled for his official visit at Ohio State June 23.

Ohio State whiffed all of its out-of-state linebacker targets in the 2023 class, securing a commitment from four-star linebacker Arvell Reese out of Glenville High School in Cleveland.

Pierce marks Ohio State's first out-of-state linebacker commitment since Cody Simon (New Jersey), Kourt Williams (California), who moved to safety, and Mitchell Melton (Maryland), who moved to the defensive line, filled the Buckeyes' 2020 recruiting class. Each of Ohio State's last five linebacker commits — Reid Carrico, C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers and Reese — have all been from Ohio.

Pierce's commitment breaks a streak of seven-straight offensive players that have committed to Ohio State, including four-star running back James Peoples, five-star wide receiver Mylan Graham and four-star quarterback Air Noland since the start of April.

cgay@dispatch.com

@_ColinGay

Ohio State football schedule 2023

Here's what Ohio State's 2023 football schedule looks like.

  • Sept. 2: Ohio State vs. Indiana, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Sept. 9: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Sept. 16: Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Sept. 23: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

  • Oct. 7: Ohio State vs. Maryland, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Oct. 14: Ohio State vs. Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana

  • Oct. 21: Ohio State vs. Penn State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Oct. 28: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin

  • Nov. 4: Ohio State vs. Rutgers, SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey

  • Nov. 11: Ohio State vs. Michigan State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Nov. 18: Ohio State vs. Minnesota, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Nov. 25: Ohio State vs. Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football adds Payton Pierce to 2024 recruiting class